Lungs for organ transplantation, drone transport succeeded

It has been reported that Canada has succeeded in transporting the first lung for transplantation using a drone. Transport and transplantation operations were successfully completed, and the transplant patient recovered healthy lungs and recovered safely.

A 63-year-old man (Alain Hodak), who was diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis in 2019, received a lung transplant carried by the drone. As an engineer who has always been interested in drones, he said that he readily agreed to participate in this project to transport lungs with a drone.

The Canadian medical institution University Health Network and Queensland Bioelectronique, who led the project, flew a drone from Toronto Western Hospital to Toronto General Hospital on September 25 to transfer lungs.

The distance is 1.5 km and the flight time is 6 minutes. Toronto General Hospital was selected because it was the hospital that successfully performed the world’s first lung transplant in 1983 and the world’s first sheep lung transplant in 1986. The transplant operation was successful and he is said to be recovering smoothly.

Martine Rothblatt, CEO of UnitheBioelectronics, started this business when his daughter was diagnosed with pulmonary arterial hypertension. Regarding the prospect of organ transplantation by drones, he said, he thinks that it is highly likely that in the next 10 years drone transport of organs will become a matter of course.

In 2019, a US medical institution succeeded in transporting organs for transplantation using drones for the first time in the world. It was the kidney at this time, but this time it is the first case of success with the lungs, which is particularly difficult to transport. Rumor has it that 80% of the removed lungs do not meet the criteria and cannot be used for transplantation. Related information can be found here.